Lovely Querida
by Sweet Little Darling
Summary: Susannah "Suze" Simon hates nothing more than spending a perfectly good day-free of school trying to solve the problems of yet another ghost. As if things couldn't get any worst-they do and Suze becomes sick with the flu, but her ghost roommate Jesse is perfectly happy to nurse her back to health and Suze finally learns the meaning of the word querida. Set after the second book.


Lovely Querida

I'm not a big fan of ghosts.

And I can pretty much tell that they don't like me much either, and at times I'm convince thet they truly hate me and I wish that I could escape it all together.

But I can't, because I have as Father Dominic calls it the "gift" of being a

mediator as if being a teenage wasn't hard enough.

Go figure.

Despite how much I hate my job, I couldn't exactly quit, besides behind my tough demenor there was a part of me that was truly glad that I helped a ghost.

Yeah, right.

California was cold in the winter, perharps not as cold as New Yrok, but definatly cold enough.

Especailly if you're at Carmel beach at three in the morning wearing nothing but a tank top and jeans (because it was the only thing you find in your closet) during a Friday night.

And what was I doing here instead of sleeping like a normal person?

Why helping a lovely spirit from what I called the world of the undead.

Or not so lovely, because the spirit was pissed at me and it wasn't even my fault. Not really at least.

"I already told you," I hissed trying to get my brown hair from blocking my face. "Darla burned your mother's necklace I can't give it to your daughter, Kate no matter how much I want to. I'm sorry, but move on, before I make you move!"

Ok, a little harsh, but she sure wasn't giving me a lot of options.

"You promise!" the ghost of a thirty-something year old woman shrieked. And every time she screamed the ocean got slightly more terrifying. "You promise you could help me!"

"Look, I tired-" I said impatiently trying to get the woman to understand.

The woman let out another yell which was powerful enough to cause the wind to blow hard enough. . .to make me fall and not only get me wet but give me a mouthful of water and sand.

I said a few swear words before I slowly got up and looked around. Mrs. Lattimer seemed to be gone.

"Good riddance," I snorted as I walked back to the pier and got my bike and pedaled as fast as I could which wasn't easy since I was dripping wet and my teeth were chattering like crazy.

I dumped the bike in the garage and managed to crawl up the stairs without anyone noticing.

"How did it go?"

I turned around and yelped. "Jesse! You scared me!"

Jesse De Silva shot her an amused look. "My apologies querida."

"I told you," I gritted my teeth. "Not to call me that. We can stop worrying about Mrs. Lattimer she wont be bothering us anymore." I sneezed.

Great. I had wanted to seem like a sexy bad ass, but instead end up spreading my germs all over the place. Hot.

Not that Jesse could catch a cold since he's already dead but still.

"Susannah, you are all wet," Jesse said frowning as he came closer and pushed back my wet hair, "You're shivering."

I waved him away. "I'll be fine Jesse, I'll go put on my pj's and climb into bed and I'll be as happy as a clam-"

"No," Jesse said firmly.

"I bed your pardon."

"You need a warm bath," he instructed firmly. "And some hot tea. Otherwise you'll catch your death and freeze."

I snorted at this.

Jessse depite living in the 21st century still had sometimes a machismo personality in where men order the woman around, and at times I found it cute, but at this particular time it was annoying.

"Look, Jesse I don't have to go through that ritual anymore," I said as I pulled out a pair of raggedy sweatpants. "That's why people invented Tylenol."

"Tylenol?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

I sighed. "Medicine."

"Oh," he still frowned. "I see, but Susannah-"

"Jesse, really," I interrupted. "I'm fine."

Jesse crossed his arms across his chest. "Fine. I wont bother." and he disappeared. Just like that.

"Thanks anyway!" I called back sarcastically and I quickly put on my sweatpants and climbed into bed. I couldn't wait to prove Jesse wrong.

Ok, I hate to admit this, but Jesse was right.

When I woke up my throat was so sore I could barely talk except to sound like a wheezing train, I felt hot, even though I was shivering like crazy.

Even though my luck wasn't all that bad since everyone in the Ackerman household was attending a two day church seminar provided by Father Dom.

No thank you.

So at least I had the house to myself, now if only Jessse didn't show up I can suffer in silence.

But it was just my luck.

That he'd show up I mean. He materialized around noon-after lunch and before I could hide under the covers and play dead he started staring at me with curiosity. "Susannah? What are you still doing in bed?"

"Jesse," I tried to say even though my thoath was burning, it came out sounding like, "Hessie."

"What are you-" a slow smirk appeared on his face. "I told you." he said in a know it all voice.

"Shut up," I managed to say, though barely. "Like you've never gotten sick before."

"Nombre De Dios, Susannah, I warned you that this was going to happen." he scolded me. "But you didn't listened to me."

I rolled my eyes.

Then I started wheezing. And coughing. And moaning. Great, I sounded like a dying old man.

"Querida, are you all right?" Jesse asked concerned as he patted my back as if were a baby.

"I'm fine." I finally finished coughing, right after I lost my dignity, but still.

"You're not fine Susannah," he scolded me rather harshly I must say. He put a cold hand on my burning forehead, which I must say I found refreshing. "You're burning up with a fever."

"I guess I got a little fever," I said slightly.

So I was laying the damsel-in-distress act a little thick, so sue me. I wasn't exactly feeling a hundred percent.

Jesse didn't seem to notice however, he kept feeling my forehead with his long, brown hand. "More than a little fever," he disappeared inside my batheroom-making a loud mess, but came back with thermometer.

I groaned.

"Now Sussannah don't complain," Jesse said firmly. "Now open."

I comply.

As if that wasn't too embarrassing.

Finally the stupid thing bepped as Jesse pulled it out. He would have a made a good doctor.

"102.7."

"That's not bad right?"

Jesse gave me once of his famous you've-got-to-be-kidding-me looks.

"Well good night," I put the covers over my head. I had enough embarrassment for one day. Thank you very much.

Jesse however pulled the covers up. "Oh, no you're not, you're taking a warm bath like you should have done in the first place."

To my great surpise and horror he scooped me up and carefully placed me inside the bathroom. "You. Bath. Now." he pointed from me to the tub as if I were two. And then he disappeared.

Knowing that Jesse wasn't going to let it go I filled the tub with water and added a hefty supply of bubble bath and sunk myself in.

I found it to be surprisingly relaxing, especially with the bubbles. At least until I stretched out a little too much and ended up bumping my ankle and foot at the end of the tub.

I must have yelped loud enough because the next thing I knew Jesse had materialized in front of me looking as if someone had yelled. "Fire!"

"Susannah, what-"

And then he stared at me in shock. And then he blushed.

I slowly looked down and peered at my naked body, that way barely covered with bubbles. I too blushed and ackwardly crossed my hands over my chest.

"Jesse, I-"

"No, I'm sorry." he blurted out. "I'll let you finish." He dissapered again.

Thankfully, he wasn't there when I got out. I felt the pounding in my head come back again and I climbed up to bed and fell deeply asleep.

The reason I woke up was because I felt someone patting my hair and palming a cool hand to my bruning forehead.

"Your fever broke, finally," Jesse murmured as he removed his hand. I noticed that he was standing very close to me. "I'm sorry querida did I wake you?"

"No," I answered groggily as I sat up. "What time is it?"

"Four o' clock," he said concern. "Susannah, are you sure-"

"I'm fine," I said nearly growling.

Jesse took this opportunity to tease me. "You're cranky when you're sick Susannah Alyssa."

"Alyssa?" I croaked horrified.

"Well while you were resting I took the liberty of going through some of your photo albums. . ."

"Meaning you were spying."

He ignored me and continued teasing me. "You were very cute as a baby Susannah, and why on earth do you hate the name Alyssa so much?"

"Shut up," I said referring to my baby pictures. "And I don't hate my middle name, but it's just not me. It's too girly."

Jesse looked even more amused. "Hate to break it to you, Susannah, but you're quite a girl."

I blushed remembering the bathroom scene.

"Well, what about you huh?" I accused. "At least I don't call people bad names all the time."

Jesee's smile faded. "When have I ever call you a bad name?"

"You know!" I protested hotly. "What you always call me Querida."

Jesse burst out laughing. I'm not kidding he was practically choking on his laughter. I threw him a pillow.

"Susannah, I'm sorry I don't mean to laugh," he said as he dried a tear and sort of ruffled my hair. "It's just you're so silly sometimes."

Excuse me, me Susannah Simon, a mediator silly?

"What's that suppose to mean?" I snapped back.

"Because my silly girl," he said as he cupped my face in his palm. Not that he kissed me or anything. "Querida means sweetheart in Spanish."

I could have died right there.

Sweetheart? Me? After this, I don't think so.

"Jesse, I-" I stumbled with my words. "So sorry, I really thought. . ."

"Shh," Jesse shushed me as he pushed me back into the bed. "Go back to sleep, I'll see you tomorrow Querida or would you prefer sweetheart?"

"Nope, Querida is fine." I squeaked.

Jesse flashed me a smile. "Sweet dreams, querida."

The End!

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